Topic > Imhotep Biography

About 4600 years ago today we lost a true scholar, an Egyptian polymath and a true vision seeker, Imhotep. Imhotep was a brave man who learned from his successors, and his name meant "He who comes in peace" and that is truly what he was. He was the only Egyptian to be fully deified, becoming the god of wisdom, medicine and architecture. Furthermore, Imhotep had a vision like no other, today I will talk about Imhotep's significant achievements that made him the intellectual as we know him today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay A commoner at birth, Imhotep's intelligence and determination allowed him to rise through the ranks to become one of King Djoser's most trusted advisors, as well as the architect of the pharaoh's tomb, the Step Pyramid . The earlier tombs of the kings of Egypt were called Mastabas, which were single-level rectangular structures of dried mud bricks containing underground chambers where the dead were buried. When Imhotep began building Djoser's step pyramid, he took inspiration from mastabas but changed it from a rectangular base to a square base. It is not known why Imhotep wanted to change the shape, but many believe that he had the idea of ​​the square-based pyramid from the beginning. His stepped pyramid was basically made up of many mastabas stacked together. Also, the earlier mastabas had reed inscriptions on them and Imhotep wanted to save that feature but instead of the mud inscriptions they would be on the stone, it was clear that Imhotep was a true innovator. When completed, the pyramid was 206 feet/62 meters tall and was the tallest structure of its time. The surroundings of the pyramid had a temple, a courtyard, living quarters for the priests and much more. King Djoser was so amazed that he ignored the ancient criterion that only the king's name appears on the monument and instead also added Imhotep's name. Furthermore, Imhotep's effort in making the Step Pyramid introduced the idea of ​​more structures and development of Egypt. During the last period of his worship, he became a local god in the city of Memphis for his skills in medicine. Furthermore, Imhotep practiced medicine and wrote down his findings more than 2000 years before the birth of Hippocrates (father of medicine)! Additionally, Imhotep is believed to be the author of the Edwin Smith Papyrus which contains 90 anatomical terms and describes 48 different lesions. The found text dates back to 1600 BC, long after his death, but many think it is a copy of his early works. Furthermore, it was said to extract medicine from plants and cure diseases such as appendicitis, gout and arthritis, which was amazing for the time. Since Imhotep was technically the “first” doctor on earth, the people of Memphis believed that he was part human and part god. Furthermore, in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, the examinations are described similarly to a modern visit to the doctor, for example, patients are asked where they feel pain, the doctor finds injuries and questions the patients about them, then a prognosis is established. Imhotep truly had a mind like no other creating the pillars of medicine as we know it. There is no doubt that Imhotep was an extraordinary scholar, perhaps even the most intelligent person who ever lived, he was able to imagine a feat never attempted before, perhaps never even conceived, and make it a reality. The Egypt we see today would not be seen if it were not for Imhotep's vision of the Step Pyramid. Once created, it was rebuilt to perfection over and over again, resulting in the Pyramids of Giza. The same goes for his work in medicine which saved the lives of thousands of people, he was the one who started it all..”